1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hitch device, and more particularly to a trailer hitch and lock assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical carts, golf cars, trailers are required to be attached to or coupled to the vehicle with a hitch assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,959 to Scheef, Jr. discloses a complicated hitch assembly for coupling a trailer to a vehicle and for supporting a wheeled vehicle on the trailer. However, a pin is the only element provided for engaging through the elements from the trailer and the vehicle such that the pin may not be used to solidly lock the trailer to the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,692 to Hayes et al. discloses a towing apparatus for coupling a golf car to a vehicle or. for towing the golf car. A number of bolts are required to be provided and engaged through the elements from the trailer and the vehicle. It takes a long time to thread and unthread the bolts and/or nuts. Some locking pins are engaged through the bolts or nuts for solidly securing or for locking the bolts and nuts together. It may further take time to release the nuts from the bolts. The trailer may not be easily and quickly disengaged or released from the vehicle.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional trailer hitch assemblies.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a trailer hitch and lock assembly for quickly coupling and locking a car or a cart or a trailer to a vehicle.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a-trailer hitch and lock assembly for coupling a trailer to a vehicle, the assembly comprising a first element for attaching to the vehicle, a second element for attaching to the trailer, a lock rod engaged through the first element and the second element, and a lock device engaged with the lock rod to secure and to lock the first element and the second element together, the lock device including a housing, a core rotatably received in the housing, a seat secured in the housing, at least one latch slidably received in the seat, means for biasing the latch to engage with the lock rod, and means for selectively disengaging the latch from the lock rod. The trailer may be easily and. quickly coupled to and locked to the vehicle without a key.
The seat includes a channel formed therein for slidably receiving the latch. The seat includes at least one opening formed therein, the latch includes a leg extended therefrom and slidably received in the opening of the seat, the biasing means includes a spring received in the opening of the seat and engaged with the leg for biasing the latch to engage with the lock rod.
The housing includes at least one recess formed therein, the seat includes at least one lug extended therefrom and engaged into the recess of the housing for securing the seat in the housing and for preventing the seat from rotating relative to the housing.
A retaining device is further provided for retaining the latch to the seat and includes a cover, and means for securing the cover to the seat. The cover includes at least one hole formed therein, the seat includes at least one pin extended therefrom and engaged into the hole of the cover for securing the cover to the seat. The cover includes at least one notch formed therein for slidably receiving the latch.
The selectively disengaging means includes an actuator secured to the core and rotated in concert with the core, for allowing the actuator to be rotated by the core to engage with the latch and to disengage the latch from the lock rod.
The core includes a non-circular projection, the actuator includes a non-circular aperture formed therein for receiving the projection and for allowing the actuator to be rotated in concert with and to be rotated by the core.
The lock rod includes an inclined peripheral surface formed therein for engaging with the latch and for moving the latch. against the biasing means when the lock rod is engaged into the housing, the housing includes at least one surface formed therein, the lock rod includes at least one surface formed therein for engaging with the surface of the housing and for preventing the lock rod from rotating relative to the housing. The lock rod includes a groove formed therein for receiving the latch.